July 13, 2023

Podiatrists know the value of a multidisciplinary care team for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Working closely with colleagues in vascular specialties is vital to the success of wound care and limb salvage. But the reality of finding the right treatment options for your patient may not be as clear-cut.

This morning’s breakfast symposium, presented in collaboration with the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Society for Vascular Medicine, and the Society for Vascular Surgery, will share advice on how to navigate professional politics and an ever-evolving range of treatment options to ensure your patients with PAD receive the best care.

The speakers will introduce their individual specialties and discuss how they approach care for PAD. They will cover risks inherent to specific procedures, such as vascular ablation. They will also discuss various clinical indicators that should result in automatic referral for a vascular assessment, as well as what information to share with the vascular specialist when referring a patient. They will emphasize best practices for communication and coordination of care.

The speakers also will introduce the latest innovations in vascular treatments, while exploring how these advances have changed the way they practice. Among these advances:

• Tibial specific stenting
• Balloons
• Pedal/alterative access
• IVUS
• Deep Vein Arterialization (DVA)

When referring a patient, asking questions of your vascular specialist is critical, said Kumar Madassery, MD, associate professor of Vascular and Interventional Radiology and director of the Peripheral Vascular Intervention & CLI Program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Madassery will represent SIR at this session.

“Attend meetings like The National and learn about newer options,” Dr. Madassery said. “Then ask questions about the options [when referring to a vascular specialist]. If you have the key terms, you can ask the right questions.”

Most importantly, Dr. Madassery said, surround yourself with a team of physicians who communicate openly and discuss all the options to provide the patient with the highest-quality care. “I think every physician working within limb salvage and preservation needs to work with a team [that includes vascular specialists]. All three vascular specialties have a role.”